Atlantic Maritime Academy

“Sabby the Lingo?”  Maritime Language – XXVI

• Ullage - (1) An old term to denote a lazy sailor who is of little use on the ship. (2) Damaged goods, especially provisions.
• Unbend - To cast adrift
• Under Bare Poles - Having no sails up. In heavy weather the windage of the mast and other spars can still be enough to move the boat.
• Under the Lee - On the lee side of an object, protected from the wind.
• Under Foot - Said of anchor when it is under ship's forefoot, and cable is nearly up and down.

• Undertow - Strong offshore current extending to the shore.
• Underway - Not attached to the shore or the ground in any manner. Usually, but not necessarily, moving through or making way through the water.
• Unfurl - To unfold or unroll a sail. The opposite of furl.
• Unmoor - To cast off hawsers by which a vessel is attached to a buoy or wharf.
• Unreeve - To run a line completely through and out of a block, fairlead, etc.
• Unrig - To remove or disassemble gear after it is used.
• Unseaworthiness - The state or condition of a vessel when it is not in a proper state of maintenance, or if the loading equipment or crew, or in any other respect is not ready to encounter the ordinary perils of sea.
• Unship - To remove from a ship. To remove an item from its place.
• Up and Down - Said of cable when it extends vertically and taut from anchor to hawsepipe.
• Upper Deck - The highest continuous deck which runs the full length of the ship without a fall or interruption.
• Upwind - To windward, in the direction of the eye of the wind; toward the wind; in the direction from which the wind is coming

• V-Berth - Usually the forward berth of the boat, located in the bow
• V-Bottom - A hull with the bottom section in the shape of a "V."
• Van - The leading ship, or ships, in a fleet or squadron.
• Vane - A small flag placed at the mast head to show wind direction.
• Vang - A control line, usually a multi-purchase tackle, secured to the boom to prevent it from lifting. Can also apply to other spars, such as gaffs.

• Variation - Magnetic variation. The difference, east or west, between magnetic north and true north, measured as an angle. Magnetic variation varies in different geographic locations.
  
• Vector - A line drawn to indicate both the direction and magnitude of a force, such as leeway or a current.
  
• Veer - A shifting of the wind direction, opposite of backing. Clockwise in the northern hemisphere, counter-clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
  
• Velocity Made Good - Also VMG. Actual boat speed after adjusting for such factors as current and leeway.
  
• Ventilator - A device for furnishing fresh air to compartments below deck or exhausting foul air. Construction designed to lead air below decks. May have a cowl, which can be angled into or away from the wind; and may be constructed with baffles, so that water is not allowed below, as in a Dorade ventilator.
  
• Venture - An enterprise in which there is a risk of loss.
  
• Vertical Clearance - The distance between the water level at chart datum and an overhead obstacle such as a bridge or power line.
  
• Vessel - A general term for a floating craft that carries passengers, cargo or both
  
• VHF Radio - An electronic communications or direction finding system which uses Very High Frequency radio waves. VHF radios are the most common communications radio carried on boats, but their range is usually limited to line of sight between the transmitting and receiving stations.
  
• Vice Admiral - A naval rank next below that of admiral.
  
• Vigia - Uncharted navigational danger that has been reported but has not been verified by survey.
  
• Visual Fix - A fix taken by visually observing the location of known landmarks.
  
• Voyage - A journey made at sea by a vessel, usually including both the outbound and homebound passages.